2026 United States Senate elections

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35[a] of the 100 seats in theUnited States Senate 51[b] seats needed for a majority
Leader John Thune Chuck Schumer Party Republican Democratic Leader since January 3, 2025 January 3, 2017 Leader's seat South Dakota New York Current seats 53 45[c] Seats needed 4 Seats up 22 13   Party Independent Current seats 2[c] Seats up 0
Map of the incumbents:      Democratic incumbent     Democratic incumbent retiring      Republican incumbent     Republican incumbent retiring      No election
IncumbentMajority Leader John Thune Republican

The2026 United States Senate elections are scheduled to be held on November 3, 2026, with 33 of the 100 seats in theSenate being contested in regular elections. In these elections, voters will elect candidates to six-year terms that begin on January 3, 2027 and expire on January 3, 2033.

Senators are divided into threeclasses whose terms are staggered, so that a different class is elected every two years. Class 2 senators were last elected in2020 and are up for election in 2026. With theelection ofJohn Thune as leader of theRepublican Conference, this will be the first election year since2006 in which Senate Republicans are not led byMitch McConnell.

Special elections have been scheduled in Ohio and Florida, following the resignation of JD Vance to becomevice president andMarco Rubio's resignation to becomesecretary of state, respectively.

All 33Class 2 Senate seats and twoClass 3 seats are up for election in 2026. Class 2 currently consists of 20 Republicans and 13 Democrats.^[1] Democrats are defending two seats in states won byDonald Trump in2024, in both cases by less than 3 percentage points:Michigan, where incumbentGary Peters is not running for reelection; and Georgia, where the incumbent isJon Ossoff. Michigan elected DemocratElissa Slotkin to the Senate in2024 by 0.3 percentage points. Georgia did not have a Senate election in 2024, although in the most recent Senate election, in2022, DemocratRaphael Warnock won by three points in a runoff.^[2][3]

Five incumbent Democratic senators represent states won byKamala Harris by single-digit margins in 2024: New Hampshire'sJeanne Shaheen, Minnesota'sTina Smith, Virginia'sMark Warner, New Jersey'sCory Booker, and New Mexico'sBen Ray Luján.^[2] Shaheen and Smith are not running for reelection.^[4]Susan Collins's seat in Maine is the only seat being defended by a Republican in a state thatKamala Harris won in2024.^[5] RepublicanThom Tillis of North Carolina is retiring^[6] from the Senate in a state Trump won by a single-digit margin in2024.^[2]

The 2026 Senate map is considered favorable to Republicans. In this cycle, Democrats are defending 13 seats, while Republicans are defending 22 seats. The makeup of the seats up for reelection means that Republicans are solidly favored to retain their Senate majority. Only two Republican-held seats are considered highly competitive by most rating groups (with two more as somewhat competitive). Democrats need to flip a minimum of four seats to win a majority. Two Democratic-held Senate seats are considered very vulnerable, and two more are somewhat vulnerable.^[7][8][9] In mid-2025, with Democrats landing their preferred recruits for potentially competitive races and the national environment changing, it was reported that the Senate map was looking better for Democrats.^[10]

Each block represents one of the one hundred seats in the U.S. Senate. "D#" is a Democratic senator, "I#" is an Independent senator, and "R#" is a Republican senator. They are arranged so that the parties are separated and a majority is clear by crossing the middle.

Each block indicates an incumbent senator's actions going into the election.

As of February 2026, nine senators—four Democrats and five Republicans—have announced that they will not seek reelection in 2026.

Multiple sites and political pundits have published predictions of competitive seats. These predictions have considered factors such as the strength of theincumbent (if the incumbent was running for reelection) and the other candidates, and the state's partisan lean, reflected in part by the state'sCook Partisan Voting Index rating. The predictions typically assign ratings to each seat, indicating the predicted advantage that a party had in winning that seat. Most election predictors use:

• "tossup": no advantage
• "tilt" (used by some predictors): advantage that is not quite as strong as "lean"
• "lean": slight advantage
• "likely": significant, but surmountable, advantage
• "safe" or "solid": near-certain chance of victory

These are seats which polling and predictions currently have listed as being at least somewhat close.

Maine is the only one of the four Senate races expected to be the most competitive that has aRepublican incumbent (Susan Collins).^[31]Maine's 2026 race is regarded as being competitive due to thestate's blue lean, but Collins previously kept her seat during cycles favorable to Democrats nationally (2008 and2020).^[32][33]North Carolina's race is also considered competitive, since the state has aslight right lean, and incumbentThom Tillis is retiring, and he never won a majority of votes in his races.^[34][35] On June 29, 2025, Tillis announced that he would not seek a third term.^[18] In July 2025, Democratic former GovernorRoy Cooper announced his candidacy for the open seat; Cooper is the best-polling of all potential Democratic candidates for this seat.^[36] Former RNC ChairmanMichael Whatley announced his candidacy in July 2025, after Tillis decided not to run for reelection. President Trump immediately endorsed Whatley.^[37]

Incumbents inOhio (Jon Husted),Texas (John Cornyn), andAlaska (Dan Sullivan) are also expected to have somewhat competitive races.^[31] Cornyn is facing primary challenges fromTexas Attorney GeneralKen Paxton and U.S. representativeWesley Hunt; an incumbent U.S. senator has not lost a primary election in any state since2012 in Indiana.^[l] Former United States senatorSherrod Brown, who lost reelection in2024, has declared his candidacy in Ohio, while former representativeMary Peltola has also declared her candidacy in Alaska.Joni Ernst, the incumbent inIowa, has announced that she will not seek a third term.^[13]

The incumbent inNebraska,Pete Ricketts, could also face a competitive race against independentDan Osborn, who ran against RepublicanDeb Fischer in theClass I race in 2024. Osborn was the most successful challenger of a Republican-held seat during the2024 election cycle, losing by only 6 points, compared toKamala Harris's loss by 20 points in Nebraska in theconcurrent presidential election. Democrats did not contest the Class I seat in 2024 and will not contest this seat in 2026. In August 2025, the Nebraska Democratic Party endorsed Osborn.^[38]

The other half of the Senate races expected to be the most competitive are those inGeorgia andMichigan.^[31] Georgia's incumbentDemocratic senator (Jon Ossoff) is expected to be in a highly competitive race, though not as competitive as it could have been, since RepublicanGovernorBrian Kemp declined to run for the seat.^[39] Ossoff narrowly beat former SenatorDavid Perdue in2021 to win his first term.^[40] InMichigan, senatorGary Peters has announced his retirement, setting a scramble for the state with an evenPVI score.^[41]

The seats inMinnesota (vacated byTina Smith), andNew Hampshire (vacated byJeanne Shaheen) are expected to be only marginally close races—especially New Hampshire, with popular former Republican governorChris Sununu declining to run.^[23][42] Sununu's brother, former SenatorJohn E. Sununu, announced a run for the Senate seat he lost to Shaheen in2008.^[43] FormerUnited States Senator fromMassachusetts andU.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and SamoaScott Brown has announced his candidacy. Brown was the Republican nominee in2014, narrowly losing the general election to Shaheen.^[44]

Special U.S. Senate elections in Florida and Ohio are scheduled for November 3, 2026. Florida voters will elect a candidate to serve the remaining two years of former SenatorMarco Rubio's unexpired term;^[47] Rubio resigned his seat in 2025 to becomeUnited States Secretary of State.^[48] Ohio voters will elect a candidate to serve the remaining two years of former SenatorJD Vance's unexpired term; Vance resigned in 2025 to becomevice president of the United States.^[49]

In each special election, the winner's term begins immediately after their election is certified by their state's government.

Elections are sorted by date then state.

In these general elections, the winners will be elected for the term beginning January 3, 2027.

One-termRepublicanTommy Tuberville previously said he planned to seek reelection,^[174] but announced on May 27, 2025, that he would insteadrun for governor of Alabama in 2026.^[11] He waselected to the U.S. Senate in 2020 with 60.1% of the vote.

FormerNavy nuclear submarine captain Seth Burton, cardiac surgeon Dale Shelton Deas Jr., formerNavy SEAL Jared Hudson,state Attorney GeneralSteve Marshall,CongressmanBarry Moore, former Tuberville advisorMorgan Murphy, and fuel company CEO Rodney Walker have announced their candidacies for the Republican nomination.^{[175][176][177][178]}

On the Democratic side, small business owners Dakarai Larriett andKyle Sweetser, community advocate Lamont Lavender, attorney Everett Wess, and chemist Mark Wheeler II have all launched campaigns.^{[179][180][181][178]} Sweetser, a former Republican, spoke at the2024 Democratic National Convention.

Two-term RepublicanDan Sullivan wasreelected in 2020 with 53.9% of the vote. He is running for reelection to a third term.^[182]

Despite filing paperwork torun for her old seat,^[183] former DemocraticCongresswomanMary Peltola announced her campaign for Senate in January 2026.^[184] Formerstate senatorTom Begich has also been mentioned as a potential candidate for the Democrats,^[185] but he iscurrently running for governor.^[186]

Two-term RepublicanTom Cotton was reelected in2020 with 66.5% of the vote. Cotton is running for reelection.^[187]

Democratic activist and candidate for U.S. Senate in 2020 and2022,Dan Whitfield, has announced his campaign, as has rice farmer Hallie Shoffner.^{[188][189][190]}

One-termDemocratJohn Hickenlooper, elected with 53.5% of the vote in2020, is running for reelection for a second term, and has said it will be his last term.^[67][191] State SenatorJulie Gonzales and college professor Karen Breslin are challenging him in the Democratic primary.^[66][65]

Former Republicanstate representativeJanak Joshi announced his candidacy on August 13, 2025.^[192]state senatorMark Baisley announced his campaign in January 2026.^[64]

Three-term DemocratChris Coons wasreelected in 2020 with 59.4% of the vote. He has filed paperwork to run for reelection.^[193]

Former federal employee Christopher Beardsley is running in the Democratic primary.^[194]

Three-term RepublicanMarco Rubio wasreelected in 2022 with 57.68% of the vote. He resigned on January 20, 2025, following his confirmation asU.S. Secretary of State.GovernorRon DeSantis announced he would appointFlorida Attorney GeneralAshley Moody as an interim successor to serve until the vacancy is filled by aspecial election in 2026.^[195] Moody has announced her candidacy for the special election to finish Rubio's term.^[52] Podcaster and participant in theJanuary 6 U.S. Capitol attack Jake Lang is challenging Moody in the Republican primary.^[51]

For the Democrats, formerCongressman fromFlorida's 9th congressional districtAlan Grayson has filed paperwork to run for the Democratic nomination.^[196]Alexander Vindman, former director of European affairs for theU.S. National Security Council,whistleblower in the2019 Trump–Ukraine scandal, and twin brother ofCongressman from VirginiaEugene Vindman, announced his candidacy on January 27, 2026.^[197][198]

Teacher Josh Weil, the nominee forFlorida's 6th congressional district in the2025 special election and a candidate for U.S. Senate in2022, had announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination.^[199] On August 1, 2025, Weil withdrew his candidacy due to hisrhabdomyolysis.^[200]

One-term DemocratJon Ossoff is running for a second term in office.^[75] He was narrowly elected in a2021 runoff with 50.6% of the vote.

For the Republicans, U.S. RepresentativeBuddy Carter ofGeorgia's 1st congressional district has announced his candidacy,^[201] as has U.S. RepresentativeMike Collins ofGeorgia's 10th congressional district.^[202] FormerUniversity of Tennessee football head coachDerek Dooley announced his candidacy on August 4, 2025.^{[203][204][205]}

OutgoingGovernorBrian Kemp, who will be term-limited in 2026, was widely seen as a potential candidate for the Republican Senate nomination, but is not running.^[206] U.S. RepresentativeMarjorie Taylor Greene ofGeorgia's 14th congressional district was reported to be considering a Senate bid, but announced on May 9, 2025, that she would not run.^[207]Lieutenant GovernorBurt Jones was considered a potential candidate but isrunning for governor instead.^[208][209]State Insurance CommissionerJohn F. King announced his candidacy on May 12, 2025, but suspended his campaign on July 24.^[210]

Three-term RepublicanJim Risch wasreelected in 2020 with 62.6% of the vote. He is running for a fourth term.^[77] Former Democraticstate representativeTodd Achilles is running as anindependent.^[76]

Five-term Democrat andSenate Democratic WhipDick Durbin wasreelected in 2020 with 54.9% of the vote. On April 23, 2025, Durbin announced he will not be running for reelection.^[211] On April 24,Lieutenant GovernorJuliana Stratton became the first majorDemocratic candidate to announce her intention to run to replace Durbin.^[212] On May 6,CongresswomanRobin Kelly of the2nd congressional district announced that she would be a candidate.^[213] On May 7, CongressmanRaja Krishnamoorthi of the8th congressional district announced his candidacy.^[214] Also running are Awisi Quartey Bustos, CEO of the IllinoisAlliance of Boys & Girls Clubs and daughter-in-law of former U.S. RepresentativeCheri Bustos; Marine Corps veteran Kevin Ryan; and pastor Anthony Williams, who was a Republican candidate for U.S. Senate in2022.^{[215][216][217]}

On April 25, 2025,GovernorJ. B. Pritzker announced that he would not be a candidate, and endorsed Stratton.^[218] CongresswomanLauren Underwood announced on May 20 that she would run for reelection, and not the U.S. Senate.^[219]

Among Republicans, Doug Bennett, computer engineer and nominee forIllinois's 10th congressional district in2018, R. Cary Capparelli, former member of theIllinois International Port District board (2000–2009), Casey Chlebek, national director for thePolish American Congress PAC and candidate for U.S. Senate in2020 and2022, former police officer John Goodman, and Dr. Pamela Denise Long, a media personality,^[220] political columnist,^[221] and organizational development consultant, have all announced candidacies.^{[222][223][224][225][226][227]} On August 4, 2025, Congressman of the15th congressional districtDarin LaHood, who had been considered a potential candidate,^[228] announced that he would run for reelection and not for the U.S. Senate.^[229]

Two-term RepublicanJoni Ernst wasreelected in 2020 with 51.7% of the vote.^[230] On May 30, 2025, she hosted a town hall at which someone said that a proposedMedicare bill would cause people to die. Ernst replied, "Well, we all are going to die", causing much criticism.^[231] She subsequently announced that she would not seek reelection to a third term.^[13] On September 2, 2025,CongresswomanAshley Hinson announced her candidacy.^[81]

On the Democratic side,U.S. Marine Corps veteran Nathan Sage was the first to announce a campaign.^[84] By August 2025,Democraticstate SenatorZach Wahls, andstate representativesJ.D. Scholten andJosh Turek had all announced their candidacies.^[232] All of them cited Ernst's remarks about Medicare as a factor in their decisions. Scholten later withdrew and endorsed Turek.^[233] Other Democratic candidates included former state representativeBob Krause.^[82]

One-term RepublicanRoger Marshall waselected in 2020 with 53.2% of the vote. Due to a possible administrative nomination of Marshall byDonald Trump, updated measures for a temporary appointment to this seat are being considered in theKansas Legislature. He has announced that he is running for reelection.^[234]

Among Democrats, former Kansas stateUSDA Director Christy Davis is running.^[89] Also running are art gallery owner Mike Soetaert and attorney Anne Parelkar.^[92]

There was some speculation that outgoing DemocraticGovernorLaura Kelly might run against Marshall, but she has said she does not intend to run.^[235] DemocraticState SenatorCindy Holscher publicly expressed interest in running,^[236] but on June 12, 2025, announced that she wouldrun for governor of Kansas in 2026.^[237]

Seven-term Republican and formerSenate Republican LeaderMitch McConnell wasreelected in 2020 with 57.8% of the vote. McConnell retired as leader after the 2024 elections with plans to serve out the remainder of his term.^[238] On February 20, 2025, McConnell announced he will not seek reelection.^[14]

Hours after McConnell's announcement, formerstate Attorney General and2023 Republican gubernatorial nomineeDaniel Cameron announced that he was running to succeed McConnell.^[239] On April 22,CongressmanAndy Barr ofKentucky's 6th congressional district announced his candidacy for the seat.^[240] On June 26, businessmanNate Morris declared he was entering the race.^[241]

For the Democrats, attorney and formerUnited States Secret Service agent Logan Forsythe,state representativePamela Stevenson, and formerCIA officer Joel Willett have all declared their candidacies for the seat.^{[242][243][244]} Though there was some speculation that DemocraticGovernorAndy Beshear might seek the open seat, he has said he does not intend to run, citing his desire to finish his second term as governor.^[245][246]

Two-term RepublicanBill Cassidy wasreelected in 2020 with 59.3% of the vote in the first round of the "Louisiana primary" and is running for reelection to a third term.^[247] The "Louisiana primary" has since been eliminated, and this election will use partisan primaries.^[248] Party primaries will be closed to members of other parties, though voters unaffiliated with a party may vote in either the Democratic or Republican primary.^[248]

CongresswomanJulia Letlow andState Treasurer and formerCongressmanJohn Fleming have both announced primary campaigns against Cassidy.^[249][250] PresidentDonald Trump has endorsed Letlow.^[251]

Incumbent Republican SenatorSusan Collins was reelected with 51% of the vote in2020. She formally announced her reelection campaign in February 2026.^[100]

Collins is being challenged from the right in the Republican primary by former police officer Dan Smeriglio and restaurateur Carmen Calabrese.^[106][98]

On the Democratic side, incumbentgovernor of MaineJanet Mills, who is term-limited and cannot seek reelection to a third consecutive term as governor, announced her candidacy in October 2025.^[103] Mills, who would be 79 at the beginning of her term, has said she will serve only one term if elected.^[252] Other Democratic candidates include David Costello, an attorney and the2024 Democratic nominee for Maine's other Senate seat,^[101] andSullivan harbormaster andMarine veteranGraham Platner.^[104]

Formerstate senatorCathy Breen andstate House SpeakerRyan Fecteau have both publicly expressed interest in running for the Democratic nomination.^{[253][254][255]} Chief of thePenobscot Nation Kirk Francis is viewed as a potential Democratic candidate.^[256][257] CongressmanJared Golden was seen as a potential candidate, but chose to retire from politics instead.^[258]

Independent Tim Rich, a hotelier, has announced a candidacy.^[105]

Two-term DemocratEd Markey wasreelected in 2020 with 66.2% of the vote, and is running for reelection to a third full term.^[108][259] The longest-serving Democrat inCongress, he will be 80 years old on Election Day. Markey faced multiple calls to retire due to his age during the Democratic primary for the seat in2020.^{[260][261][262]} He is being challenged in the Democratic primary by teacher andfantasy sports journalist Alex Rikleen andCongressmanSeth Moulton.^[110][109] In January 2025,CongressmanJake Auchincloss said he had not ruled out challenging Markey in the Democratic primary,^[263] but announced in September that he would not do so.^[264]

2024 U.S. Senate nominee John Deaton is running for the Republican nomination.^[107]State representativeMichael Soter was seen as a potential candidate,^[265] but in May 2025, theBoston Herald reported that Soter was interested only in running for a statewide constitutional office, not for the U.S. Senate.^[266]

Two-term DemocratGary Peters wasnarrowly reelected in 2020 with 49.9% of the vote. On January 28, 2025, he announced that he will not seek reelection.^[15]

State senatorMallory McMorrow,^[114] formerWayne County Health, Human, and Veterans Services Department DirectorAbdul El-Sayed,^[112] andCongresswomanHaley Stevens of the11th congressional district^[117] have announced their candidacies. Research health specialist Rachel Howard is also running.^[113]State Attorney GeneralDana Nessel may choose to run.^[267] Formerstate House SpeakerJoe Tate announced his candidacy on May 11, 2025, but suspended his campaign on August 8, 2025, and endorsed Stevens.^[268][269]

For the Republicans,Mike Rogers, former Congressman for the8th congressional district and2024 Republican nominee for U.S. Senate, has announced his candidacy.^[115] Other Republicans running include engineer Fred Heuterbise and dentist Kent Benham.^[111]

One-term DemocratTina Smith wasreelected in 2020 with 48.7% of the vote after being appointed by GovernorMark Dayton in 2018 followingAl Franken's resignation and then winning aspecial election that year. On February 13, 2025, she announced she would not seek a second full term in 2026.^[16] IncumbentLieutenant GovernorPeggy Flanagan announced her candidacy the same day.^[119]CongresswomanAngie Craig announced her candidacy on April 29.^[118]

Republicans running includesportscasterMichele Tafoya,^[122]2024 Republican U.S. Senate nominee and former professional basketball playerRoyce White,^[124] retiredU.S. Navy officer Tom Weiler,^[123] and formerNavy SEAL Adam Schwarze.^[121] Potential Republican candidates includestate representativeKristin Robbins^[270] and attorney Ryan Wilson, whoran for Minnesota State Auditor in 2022.^[271]

One-term RepublicanCindy Hyde-Smith wasreelected in 2020 with 54.1% of the vote after being appointed in 2018 and subsequently winning aspecial election that same year. She is running for a second full term in office.^[272] She is being challenged by physician Sarah Adlakha in the Republican primary.^[273]

Among Democrats,Lowndes CountyDistrict AttorneyScott Colom and Priscilla Williams-Till, a cousin ofEmmett Till, have announced their candidacies.^[274][275]

Also running is attorney Ty Pinkins, who was the Democratic nominee forSecretary of State in2023 andU.S. Senate in2024. Pinkins is now running as an independent.^[276]

Two-term RepublicanSteve Daines wasreelected in 2020 with 55% of the vote.

Formerstate representativeReilly Neill is running for the Democratic nomination.^[130] Former Democratic U.S. SenatorJon Tester, who was defeated in2024, has said he will not seek election.^[277]

Two-term RepublicanBen Sasse resigned early in the118th Congress to become president of theUniversity of Florida.^[278] Former GovernorPete Ricketts was appointed as interim senator on January 12, 2023, byGovernorJim Pillen.^[279] He won the2024 special election to serve the remainder of Sasse's term, defeating college professorPreston Love Jr.^[280] Ricketts is running for reelection to his first full term.^[281]

Former labor union leaderDan Osborn, who challenged RepublicanDeb Fischer in theelection for Nebraska's Class I seat, has announced his candidacy as an independent.^[132] TheNebraska Democratic Party is not recruiting a candidate to challenge Ricketts as a Democrat,^[282] and the party's chairperson has endorsed Osborn.^[283]

Three-termDemocratJeanne Shaheen wasreelected in 2020 with 56.6% of the vote. On March 12, 2025, Shaheen announced that she would not seek reelection to a fourth term.^[17]

DemocraticCongressmanChris Pappas declared his candidacy on April 3, 2025, becoming the first major candidate to the enter the race.^[134] Karishma Manzur, a member of theNew Hampshire Democratic Party's rules committee, andstate representativeJared Sullivan have also announced campaigns.^[133][135]

On June 25, formerU.S. Senator fromMassachusetts andU.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and SamoaScott Brown announced he was entering the race; in2014, Brown won the Republican primary and narrowly lost the general election to Shaheen.^[44] Former U.S. SenatorJohn E. Sununu has also announced a campaign; he lost this seat to Shaheen in2008.^[43] Sununu's brother, formerGovernorChris Sununu, was considered a possible Republican candidate, but announced on April 8, 2025, that he would not run.^[284][285]State senatorDan Innis announced his candidacy in August 2025, but dropped out in September and endorsed Sununu.^[286][287]

Two-term DemocratCory Booker wasreelected in 2020 with 57.2% of the vote and is running for reelection to a third full term.^[136]

Among Republicans, formerTabernacle deputy mayor Justin Murphy is "seriously thinking" of running against Booker.^[288] Formerstate senator and2025 gubernatorial candidateEd Durr has also expressed interest in running.^[289]

One-term DemocratBen Ray Luján waselected in 2020 with 51.7% of the vote. On April 23, 2025, Luján announced that he would seek a second term.^[290]

Christopher Heuvel, the only Republican who filed, was disqualified from the race for failing to meet the requirements to make the ballot.^[291] The Republican Party still has a chance to field a candidate, with prospective candidates having until March 17 to collect signatures to seek the nomination as awrite-in.^[292][293] If no Republican meets the signature requirement, no Republican will appear on the general election ballot for this race, the first time this has occurred in the state's modern history.^[294]

Two-term RepublicanThom Tillis wasnarrowly reelected in 2020 with 48.7% of the vote. On June 29, 2025, he announced that he would not seek reelection to a third term.^[18] Republican candidates include attorney and authorDon Brown, who was a candidate forNorth Carolina's 8th congressional district in2024, and formerRepublican National Committee chairMichael Whatley.^[295]

On June 10, 2023, theNorth Carolina Republican Party censured Tillis for his bipartisan support on gun control and same-sex marriage, and he was seen as vulnerable to a primary challenge.^[296] Brown announced a primary campaign against Tillis in March 2025.^[297]Lara Trump, former co-chair of theRepublican National Committee andWilmington native, was considered a potential candidate to challenge Tillis. In December 2024, after publicly withdrawing from consideration to be appointed to Florida's Senate seat, she said she would make a "big announcement" in January, but she never announced anything about a possible candidacy,^[298] and in July announced that she would not run.^[299] Formerlieutenant governor and2024 Republican gubernatorial nomineeMark Robinson had been considered a potential candidate to challenge Tillis in the primary, he has said that running for any future political office is "not on my radar at all."^[300] In June 2025, Tillis voted against PresidentDonald Trump's signatureOne Big Beautiful Bill Act, leading Trump to announce that he was looking for a primary challenger to Tillis. The next day, Tillis withdrew his reelection bid.^[18] After Tillis's withdrawal, Trump endorsed Whatley, who announced his campaign on July 31.^[295]

CongressmenPat Harrigan andRichard Hudson have announced they will not seek the seat.^[301][302]

On the Democratic side, formerCongressmanWiley Nickel declared his candidacy in April 2025.^[303] FormerGovernorRoy Cooper announced his candidacy on July 28, 2025.^[36] The next day, Nickel dropped out and endorsed Cooper.^[304]

One-term RepublicanJD Vance waselected in 2022 with 53% of the vote.^[305] On January 10, 2025, he resigned from the Senate following his election asVice President of the United States alongside then-former President Donald Trump in2024.GovernorMike DeWine announced Vance's replacement in the Senate would be then-Lieutenant GovernorJon Husted on January 17.^[306] Husted is running to finish out the remainder of Vance's six-year term.^[307]

Vivek Ramaswamy withdrew himself from consideration for the pending Senate appointment, later declaring his candidacy in the2026 Ohio gubernatorial election.^{[308][309][310]}

On the Democratic side, former U.S. SenatorSherrod Brown, who was unseatedin 2024, is running for the seat.^[311][312]

Incumbent RepublicanMarkwayne Mullin wona special election in 2022 with 61.8% of the vote to complete the remainder of the term vacated byJim Inhofe, who resigned on January 3, 2023, and passed away later that year.^[313]

Nonprofit founder Troy Green and nurse N'Kiyla "Jasmine" Thomas are running as Democrats.^[142][145]

Three-term DemocratJeff Merkley wasreelected in 2020 with 56.9% of the vote. On July 20, 2025, Merkley announced that he would run for reelection.^[314]

Restaurant owner Timothy Skelton has announced his candidacy as a Republican.^[315]

Five-term DemocratJack Reed wasreelected in 2020 with 66.5% of the vote. He is running for reelection to a sixth term.^[149] He is being challenged in the Democratic primary by elder care worker Connor Burbidge.^[148]

Four-term RepublicanLindsey Graham wasreelected in 2020 with 54.4% of the vote. He is running for reelection to a fifth term.^[154] FormerSouth Carolina Lieutenant GovernorAndré Bauer andProject 2025 authorPaul Dans were both challenging Graham in the Republican primary,^[316][153] but Bauer withdrew his candidacy on August 8, 2025.^[317]

Annie Andrews,pediatrician and nominee forSouth Carolina's 1st congressional district in2022, andCatherine Fleming Bruce, Democratic activist, author, and candidate for U.S. Senate in2022, are declared candidates.^[318] Former U.S. Representative and 2020 presidential candidateJoe Walsh is considered a potential candidate as well following a relocation from Illinois to South Carolina.^[319]

Former Democratic congressmanRobin Tallon has expressed interest in running for the seat as an independent.^[320]

Two-term RepublicanMike Rounds, who wasreelected in 2020 with 65.7% of the vote, is running for a third term.^[321]

Businessman and formerSouth Dakota state trooper Julian Beaudion has announced his candidacy for the Democratic nomination.^[157]U.S. Navy andAir Force veteran, formerNorthern State University political science professor, andDemocratic nominee for U.S. Senate in2022 Brian Bengs has announced his candidacy as an independent.^[158]

One-term RepublicanBill Hagerty waselected in 2020 with 62.2% of the vote. He is running for reelection.^[161] On the Democratic side, businesswoman and professor Diana Onyejiaka is running against Hagerty.^[163]

Four-term RepublicanJohn Cornyn wasreelected in 2020 with 53.5% of the vote and is running for a fifth term in 2026.^[322]

Texas Attorney GeneralKen Paxton is running against Cornyn in the Republican primary.^[323]Congressman for the38th congressional districtWesley Hunt has announced he is running in the primary.^[324]

Among Democrats,state representativeJames Talarico and U.S. Representative for Texas's 30th congressional districtJasmine Crockett have announced campaigns.^[325][326] Media personality and retired astronautTerry Virts initially announced a campaign but later chose to run inTexas's 9th congressional district.^[327][328] FormerU.S. RepresentativeColin Allred, who ran unsuccessfully for the Class I Senate seatin 2024, also initially announced a campaign, but later pivoted to a campaign forTexas's 33rd congressional district.^[329][330]

Three-term DemocratMark Warner wasreelected in 2020 with 56% of the vote. He is running for reelection.^[169]

For the Republicans,CPA Kim Farrington is running.^[166]State SenatorBryce Reeves announced his campaign in July 2025 but withdrew from the race in December.^[331][332]

Two-term RepublicanShelley Moore Capito wasreelected in 2020 with 70.3% of the vote and is running for reelection to a third term.^[333]State senatorTom Willis is challenging Capito.^[334]

Democratic political organizerZach Shrewsbury, who was a candidate for Senate in2024, is running.^[335]

Former U.S. SenatorJoe Manchin, who served from 2010 to 2024 as a Democrat and from 2024 to 2025 as an Independent and was widely floated as a potential presidential nominee for theNo Labels unity ticket in 2024, has not ruled out a run for office in 2026.^[336]

One-term RepublicanCynthia Lummis waselected in 2020 with 72.8% of the vote. She is not seeking reelection.^[19] U.S. RepresentativeHarriet Hageman is running to succeed Lummis.^[337]

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